(en) Palestine-Israel, The joint struggle escalate to a higher level in spite of skeptics (it)

Date
Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:37:57 +0200

Bab Al Shams (the gate of the Sun) is a one step higher of the non-armed direct actions
the joint comity of the villages popular comities involved in. The political parties that
marginally support the struggle failed to co-opt it so far. The creativity of the joint
comity rouse to an higher level in this action, forcing the Israeli state to disregard its
pretension of law and order, and acted against its own higher court and destroyed the
camp. The world media was "recruited" again to promote the non violent struggle against
the occupation. In each village where weekly demos are done, few of the activist were left
behind to keep the joint struggle going.

Bab Al Shams

Popular Comities project. Dozens of Palestinians established on Friday an outpost in E1
between Jerusalem a Maale Edomim and did "Not left the area". The activists, who brought
with them equipment and established long stay 25 tents, have stated that they intend to
expand the permanent settlement: "we will hold this village stubbornly".

"Hundreds of Palestinians have established this morning (Friday) outpost in E1 , which
they call the "Bab al-Shams" (Sun Gate). The activists, who brought with them equipment,
long stay, established 25 permanent tents and said that they intended to expand the
initial settlement and turn it into a permanent settlement. Police force came to the area
but have not yet decided what to do activists staying there."

"Abdullah Abu Rahma, a prominent figure Palestinian struggle, said the call for the
establishment of the outpost began more than a month ago, particularly among Palestinians
in the neighborhoods and communities whose lands are at risk of expropriation for the
construction of new settlements. Among the others there were involved activists from
Hattori, Issawiya, Abu Dis, and Anata Alaizrih.
One of the organizers, Mohammed Khatib, said: "It is a symbolic act, but a response to the
intended Israeli settlement. We send a message to the international community to take
immediate action to stop the settlement of Israel."

With the establishment of the tents, the group gave the following statement: "We, the sons
and daughters of Palestine, announce the establishment of the village of Bab al-Shams
(Gate of the Sun), by order of the people, without a permit from the occupation, without
asked permission from anyone, that this land is our land and the it is our right to build."

The name of the Palestinian outpost in E1 taken from the novel "Bab al-Shams" authored by
Elias Khoury. The book describes the story of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon after
the 1948 War.

It also said in a statement that "we build the village as we can no longer remain silent
on the continued construction of settlements and the theft of our land, and we believe
direct action and popular resistance will achieving our goals. We are committed to hold
this village stubbornly, not leaving it, until the Palestinians will regain full ownership
rights on This land. "

Palestinian Village of Bab Al-Shams Remains Steadfast. In the face of blatant eviction
threats by Netanyahu and under Israeli army siege, the village of Bab Al shams continues
to stand boldly.

Saturday

Israeli army and police have been laying siege to the newly founded Palestinian village of
Bab Al shams since earlier today, blocking all roads leading to it. The area has been
declared a closed military zone. The village was inaugurated yesterday on Palestinian
land, East of Jerusalem, in an area referred to by Israel as E1, and designated for the
expansion of Ma’ale Edomim settlement.

Despite the siege, roughly a hundred supporters from across Palestine managed to reach the
village, trekking through rocky terrain. Earlier today, Abdallah Abu Rahmah of the Popular
Struggle Coordination Committee said, "Israel has been defying international law for
decades by building illegal settlements on stolen land and demolishing Palestinian homes.
We are here to say that Israeli impunity must end. We have the right to build and live on
our own land”.

This morning the residents of the village where notified by Israeli police that they will
be evicted despite an injunction issued by the Israeli High Court, prohibiting demolition
of the village for six days. The officers informed residents that the injunction only
forbids the removal of village structures, not their inhabitants. Despite this statement,
Israeli government has appealed to the court to revoke the injunction. As growing numbers
of Israeli forces amass in the vicinity of the village, seemingly preparing to carry out
an eviction, the residents of Bab Al shams stand firm in their resolution to hold on to
the land.

Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers prevented Palestinian legislators Hannan Ashrawi, Saeb Arekat
and Ahmed Majdalani from reaching the village and confiscated Majdalani's VIP card.
Famed Lebanese writer, Elias Khury, author of the epic novel Bab Al shams after which the
village is named, phoned the residents earlier today to express his support. "You have
revived Bab Al-Shams", he said, "I wish I were there with you."

Activists are reporting two buses full of people arrested at Bab al-Shams arrived at
Qalandia checkpoint where detainees were released. Others, however, remain in Israeli
custody for a while but released later. A. says they got 5 soldiers for each resident they
beat them with sticks there are many injured.
http://on.fb.me/V4jwcAhttp://on.fb.me/V4jwcAhttp://on.fb.me/UggtwP

During the weekly demonstration in Nabi Saleh, the IOF attempted to suppress the protest
using putrid skunk water and barrages of rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas just as
the demonstration started.
"We tried to reach the spring but IOF attacked us and we had a long argument with them
then they began to hit us with their guns". Activists report that the demo in Nabi Saleh
while small this week (due to the weather) was very energetic.
Seven solidarity activists (international and Israeli with the anarchists against the
wall) were arrested in the pretext of entering a 'closed military zone.' A few protesters
were injured by rubber bullets, one of whom (Mutaz Tamimi) sustained an injury to his face
and was taken to hospital for medical treatment after a long delay as the Zionist soldiers
forbid the ambulance from approaching the area to treat him. Dozens suffocated from the
tear gas.

Arrestees:
L. R. updates: "the Israeli police is deliberately holding the 5 Israeli and 2
internationals activists detainees from Nabi Saleh Friday demo outside in the freezing
cold, no doubt as some form of punishment for supporting Palestinians.
The occupation forces let go the last one of us around midnight. I was released into a
very cold night, but warm hugs, and juice and falafel. It was cold (especially in the long
hours in which we were held outside), and long (especially after they'd let everyone else
out, and I sat there on my own, wondering whether I might be the only one spending the
night) and boring (I read most of the Friday issue of Israel Today, solved a word puzzle
with Michal and read half of Camus, the Plague), but it was a relatively easy arrest and I
think we're all more or less fine. The Israelis amongst us got a two weeks restraining
order from Nabi Saleh. The internationals are summoned to the airport on Sunday, and we
hold our fingers crossed hoping that they won't be deported. Thanks so much to all of you
who supported from outside, and no less to those who supported from the inside.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2013/0111/1224328672059.html
Palestinian activists claim the use by the Israeli security forces of a foul-smelling
liquid, dubbed “the skunk”, against protesters and, in some instances, private homes, may
be putting lives at risk.
Last Friday, January 4th, Israeli border police directed the skunk at the home of the
Tamimi family in the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, following the
weekly protest against Israeli land confiscation.
A photographer recorded an Israeli tanker spewing the putrid liquid over the home of a
Palestinian family. A border police spokesman, Supt Shai Hakimi, told The Irish Times that
the spray was aimed at Palestinian stone-throwers on the roof of the building.

However, no such individuals can be seen in the photograph.

“The Israeli forces have targeted my home in Nabi Saleh dozens of times. On one occasion
the powerful jet spray broke a window and also the television which was next to my
seven-year-old son. The chemicals in the skunk destroy the furniture and no amount of
cleaning can get rid of the stench.”

The comments by the border police spokesman were challenged by Haim Schwarczenberg, the
Israeli photographer who witnessed the incident.

“There were no stone-throwing youths on the roof of the house that I saw,” he told The
Irish Times last night. “This is not the first time this skunk liquid has been sprayed on
people’s homes and not the first time I have witnessed how the Israeli authorities
collectively punish the people of this village.”

The residents of Nabi Saleh, a small village of less than 600 residents, north west of
Ramallah, have hosted weekly protests for almost four years against land confiscation by
the nearby Jewish settlement of Halamish.
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